Shirley was born on February 13, 1931 in Doland, South Dakota to John and Annetta Scovell Jansen. She was employed as Lawn city secretary. Shirley volunteered for the Granny Squad, Red Cross, Abilene Independent School District, and worked as a librarian at Jim Ned School.

She was preceded in death by a son, John Hudson; a daughter, Pamela Butner; a brother, Roland Jansen; a grandson, Travis Hudson; and a granddaughter, Katherine Terrell.